Mnangagwa birthday event nationalised

Published: 2 hours ago

President Emmerson Mnangagwa will today mark his 83rd birthday under the banner of Munhumutapa Day, a newly created national commemoration that critics say is designed to elevate him to monarch-like status and pave the way for extending his rule beyond 2028.

Munhumutapa Day, first proclaimed at Mnangagwa's birthday party at Great Zimbabwe last year, has been described by the state-controlled Herald as a national celebration symbolising "unity, pride and collective support" for the President. The paper drew parallels between the Mutapa Empire and what it calls the achievements of the "Second Republic."

Information Minister Jenfan Muswere echoed this sentiment, calling Mnangagwa "a visionary and statesman" committed to transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income society by 2030. Over 30,000 people, mainly youths, are expected to gather in Zvishavane for the commemorations, which the government says will rotate annually across provinces.

Yet behind the official narrative, the event has sparked widespread criticism. Opponents argue that the day is less about celebrating national heritage and more about institutionalising Mnangagwa's personality cult. They note the irony of linking the Mutapa Empire's prosperity to today's Zimbabwe, which is struggling with economic collapse and widespread poverty.

Mnangagwa has publicly insisted he does not wish to stay in power beyond his constitutional limit, but his allies are already lobbying for him to extend his rule to 2030 at the upcoming Zanu-PF conference in Mutare. Observers see Munhumutapa Day as part of this campaign, turning what is essentially a personal birthday celebration into a state-sponsored political mobilisation exercise.

Much like Robert Mugabe's 21st February Movement, which became National Youth Day, Munhumutapa Day is being positioned as a national fixture. But for many Zimbabweans, it is viewed as a costly spectacle that diverts public resources to entrench Mnangagwa's hold on power, rather than address the nation's deepening social and economic crises.
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